BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuAutomatic dishwasher soap poisoningAutomatic dishwasher soap poisoning refers to illness that occurs when you swallow soap used in automatic dishwashers or when the soap contacts the face.This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual poison exposure. If you or someone you are with has an exposure, call the local emergency number (such as 911), or the local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. Poisonous Ingredient Automatic dishwasher products contain various soaps. Potassium carbonate and sodium carbonate are the most common.Standard liquid household detergents and soaps rarely cause serious injury if swallowed accidentally. However, single-use laundry or dishwasher detergent packets, or "pods" are more concentrated. Therefore, they are more likely to damage the esophagus. Where Found The poisonous ingredients are found in automatic dishwasher soaps. Symptoms Symptoms of automatic dishwasher soap poisoning can affect many parts of the body.EYES, EARS, NOSE, AND THROAT Severe pain in the throat Severe pain or burning in the nose, eyes, ears, lips, or tongue Loss of vision Throat swelling (which may also cause breathing trouble) SwellingSwelling is the enlargement of organs, skin, or other body parts. It is caused by a buildup of fluid in the tissues. The extra fluid can lead to a ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article HEART AND BLOOD CIRCULATION Low blood pressure - develops quickly Collapse Severe change in blood acid levels, which can lead to organ damage LUNGSBreathing difficulty (from breathing in the poison) Breathing difficultyBreathing difficulty may involve:Difficult breathing Uncomfortable breathingFeeling like you are not getting enough airRead Article Now Book Mark Article SKINIrritation Burns Necrosis (tissue death) in the skin or tissues underneathSTOMACH AND INTESTINESSevere abdominal pain Abdominal painAbdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and groin. This is often referred to as the stomach region or belly.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Vomiting, may be bloody Burns of the esophagus (food pipe) Blood in the stool Home Care Seek immediate emergency medical help. DO NOT make the person throw up.If the soap is in the eyes, flush with lots of water for at least 15 minutes.If the soap was swallowed, have the person immediately drink water or milk. Before Calling Emergency Determine the following information:The person's age, weight, and condition The name of the product (ingredients and strengths, if known) The time it was swallowed The amount swallowed Poison Control Your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.Poison control centerFor a POISON EMERGENCY call:1-800-222-1222ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATESThis national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. This ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible. What to Expect at the Emergency Room The health care provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Blood and urine tests will be done. Symptoms will be treated as needed. The person may receive:Activated charcoal to help prevent the remaining poison from being absorbed into the stomach and digestive tract. Airway and breathing support, including oxygen. In extreme cases, a tube may be passed through the mouth into the lungs to prevent aspiration. A breathing tube (ventilator) would then be needed. Blood transfusion if severe blood loss has occurred. Chest x-ray. Chest x-rayA chest x-ray is an x-ray of the chest, lungs, heart, large arteries, ribs, and diaphragm.Read Article Now Book Mark Article ECG (electrocardiogram, or heart tracing). ECGAn electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Fluids through a vein (IV). Endoscopy -- a camera down the throat to see burns in the esophagus and stomach. Medicines (laxatives) to move the poison quickly through the body. Tube through the mouth into the stomach to wash out the stomach (gastric lavage). This is rare. Gastric lavageGastric suction is a procedure to empty the contents of your stomach.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Medicines to treat symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting, or those of an allergic reaction, such as swelling of the face or mouth or wheezing (diphenhydramine, epinephrine, or steroids). Outlook (Prognosis) Most cases of swallowing dishwasher soap are not that harmful. How well a person does depends on the amount of poison swallowed and how quickly treatment was received. The faster a person gets medical help, the better the chance for recovery.Swallowing poisons can have severe effects on many parts of the body. Damage can continue to occur to the esophagus and stomach for several weeks after the product is swallowed. Death may occur up to a month after the poisoning.Open ReferencesReferencesDavis MG, Casavant MJ, Spiller HA, Chounthirath T, Smith GA. Pediatric exposures to laundry and dishwasher detergents in the United States: 2013-2014. Pediatrics. 2016;137(5): e20154529. PMID: 27244825 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27244825/.Meehan TJ. Care of the poisoned patient. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 135.Yasuda JL, Manfredi MA. Caustic ingestion and foreign bodies. In: Wyllie R, Hyams JS, Kay M, eds. Pediatric Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 18.AllVideoImagesTogRelated Information Review Date: 10/6/2022 Reviewed By: Jesse Borke, MD, CPE, FAAEM, FACEP, Attending Physician at Kaiser Permanente, Orange County, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. 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Automatic dishwasher soap poisoningAutomatic dishwasher soap poisoning refers to illness that occurs when you swallow soap used in automatic dishwashers or when the soap contacts the face.This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual poison exposure. If you or someone you are with has an exposure, call the local emergency number (such as 911), or the local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. Poisonous Ingredient Automatic dishwasher products contain various soaps. Potassium carbonate and sodium carbonate are the most common.Standard liquid household detergents and soaps rarely cause serious injury if swallowed accidentally. However, single-use laundry or dishwasher detergent packets, or "pods" are more concentrated. Therefore, they are more likely to damage the esophagus. Where Found The poisonous ingredients are found in automatic dishwasher soaps. Symptoms Symptoms of automatic dishwasher soap poisoning can affect many parts of the body.EYES, EARS, NOSE, AND THROAT Severe pain in the throat Severe pain or burning in the nose, eyes, ears, lips, or tongue Loss of vision Throat swelling (which may also cause breathing trouble) SwellingSwelling is the enlargement of organs, skin, or other body parts. It is caused by a buildup of fluid in the tissues. The extra fluid can lead to a ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article HEART AND BLOOD CIRCULATION Low blood pressure - develops quickly Collapse Severe change in blood acid levels, which can lead to organ damage LUNGSBreathing difficulty (from breathing in the poison) Breathing difficultyBreathing difficulty may involve:Difficult breathing Uncomfortable breathingFeeling like you are not getting enough airRead Article Now Book Mark Article SKINIrritation Burns Necrosis (tissue death) in the skin or tissues underneathSTOMACH AND INTESTINESSevere abdominal pain Abdominal painAbdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and groin. This is often referred to as the stomach region or belly.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Vomiting, may be bloody Burns of the esophagus (food pipe) Blood in the stool Home Care Seek immediate emergency medical help. DO NOT make the person throw up.If the soap is in the eyes, flush with lots of water for at least 15 minutes.If the soap was swallowed, have the person immediately drink water or milk. Before Calling Emergency Determine the following information:The person's age, weight, and condition The name of the product (ingredients and strengths, if known) The time it was swallowed The amount swallowed Poison Control Your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.Poison control centerFor a POISON EMERGENCY call:1-800-222-1222ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATESThis national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. This ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible. What to Expect at the Emergency Room The health care provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Blood and urine tests will be done. Symptoms will be treated as needed. The person may receive:Activated charcoal to help prevent the remaining poison from being absorbed into the stomach and digestive tract. Airway and breathing support, including oxygen. In extreme cases, a tube may be passed through the mouth into the lungs to prevent aspiration. A breathing tube (ventilator) would then be needed. Blood transfusion if severe blood loss has occurred. Chest x-ray. Chest x-rayA chest x-ray is an x-ray of the chest, lungs, heart, large arteries, ribs, and diaphragm.Read Article Now Book Mark Article ECG (electrocardiogram, or heart tracing). ECGAn electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Fluids through a vein (IV). Endoscopy -- a camera down the throat to see burns in the esophagus and stomach. Medicines (laxatives) to move the poison quickly through the body. Tube through the mouth into the stomach to wash out the stomach (gastric lavage). This is rare. Gastric lavageGastric suction is a procedure to empty the contents of your stomach.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Medicines to treat symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting, or those of an allergic reaction, such as swelling of the face or mouth or wheezing (diphenhydramine, epinephrine, or steroids). Outlook (Prognosis) Most cases of swallowing dishwasher soap are not that harmful. How well a person does depends on the amount of poison swallowed and how quickly treatment was received. The faster a person gets medical help, the better the chance for recovery.Swallowing poisons can have severe effects on many parts of the body. Damage can continue to occur to the esophagus and stomach for several weeks after the product is swallowed. Death may occur up to a month after the poisoning.Open ReferencesReferencesDavis MG, Casavant MJ, Spiller HA, Chounthirath T, Smith GA. Pediatric exposures to laundry and dishwasher detergents in the United States: 2013-2014. Pediatrics. 2016;137(5): e20154529. PMID: 27244825 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27244825/.Meehan TJ. Care of the poisoned patient. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 135.Yasuda JL, Manfredi MA. Caustic ingestion and foreign bodies. In: Wyllie R, Hyams JS, Kay M, eds. Pediatric Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 18.